Invited Speakers
Invited Speaker Sessions
Saturday November 7, 2009
8:00AM – 10:00AM
SCB-ASM Concurrent Invited Immunology Session, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
Chair: Dr. Karen S. Coats
8:00 Karen S. Coats, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS
“The FIV-Infected Cat: A Model for HIV-Induced Placental Immunopathology and Mother to Child Transmission”
8:30 Linda B. Adams, Ph.D., National Hansen’s Disease Programs, Immunology Research Department, Laboratory Research Branch at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA
“Understanding Susceptibility and Resistance in Leprosy: Contributions From the Mouse Model”
9:00 Kathleen Gilbert, Ph.D., Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR
“Environmental Pollutants as Triggers for Autoimmune Disease”
9:30 Stephen B. Pruett, Ph.D. , Chair, Department of Basic Sciences, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS
“Environmental Influences on Innate Immunity and Inflammation: Mechanisms and Implications”
10:00 Coffee Break
SCB-ASM Concurrent Invited Virology Session, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
Chair: Dr. Robert F. Garry
8:00 Robert F. Garry, Ph.D. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
“Development of Countermeasures Against Lassa Virus”
8:30 Thomas G. Voss, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA
“Therapeutic Development for Interpandemic and Pandemic Influenza in the Ferret Model”
9:00 V. Gregory Chinchar, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
“A (Surprisingly) Productive Union: Molecular Virology and Amphibian Ecology”
9:30 K. Gus Kousoulas, PhD., Director, Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine
Professor, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA
“Regulatory Mechanisms of Herpes Simplex Virus-Induced Cell Fusion and Spread”
10:00 Coffee Break
SCB-ASM Concurrent Invited General/Pathogenic Microbiology Session, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
10:30 – 12:30
Chair: Dr. Don Ennis
10:30 Don G. Ennis, Ph.D., Department of Biology, University of Louisiana
“Uncovering a New Bacterial Pathogen Washed into New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina”
11:00 Janet R. Donaldson, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University
“Comparative analysis of virulent and avirulent strains of Listeria monocytogenes”
11:30 John R. Battista, Ph.D., Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University
“Genomic Basis of Experimentally Evolved Ionizing Radiation Resistance”
12:00 Jon S. Blevins, Ph.D., Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
“Regulatory networks contributing to the infectious lifecycle of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi.”
12:30 Lunch
SCB-ASM Concurrent Invited Applied & Environmental Microbiology Session, Saturday Nov. 7, 2009
Chair: Dr. Raj Boopathy
10:30 Donald F. Day, Ph.D., Audubon Sugar Institute, LSU Agricultural Center, St. Gabriel, LA
“Biomass Fuels for Louisiana: Feedstocks and Approaches”
11:00 Giovanna Aita, Ph.D., Audubon Sugar Institute, LSU Agricultural Center, St. Gabriel, LA
“Comparison of Enzyme Hydrolysis and Fermentation Yield for Two Ammonia Pre-Treated Energy Crops”
11:30 Rakesh Bajpai, Ph.D., Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisiana Lafayette, Lafayette, LA
“Biofuels from Algae – Bioreactor Perspectives.”
12:00 Karl Indest, Ph.D., U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS
“The Molecular Basis of RDX Degradation in Gordonia Sp. KTR9: The Role of Large Catabolic Plasmids and Horizontal Gene Transfer”
12:30 Lunch